


a helping of kindness

by SydneyHorses



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Cats, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Black Eagles Route, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:22:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27141713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SydneyHorses/pseuds/SydneyHorses
Summary: In a moment of weakness, Mercedes confesses to Ashe that she feels like Jeritza doesn't feel comfortable spending time around her. Ashe makes it his mission to get to the route of the problem and becomes friends with Jeritza in an effort to help the siblings get along better.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	a helping of kindness

**Author's Note:**

> Finally something fun and gen from me! This fic was super fun, and I hope you all like it! I just think... that Ashe and Jeritza should be friends.

“You have family, don’t you Ashe?” The question is unexpected, cutting through the middle of their serene teatime. Mercedes sounds as innocent as ever, but Ashe knows better. She’s up to something, just like always.

“Of course,” he replies. “Everyone has a family, Mercedes. Don’t be silly.” Mercedes knows all about his. Neither of them were there when Lonato died, but she sat with him in the church afterwards. She’d been willing to listen, and his whole life story had spilled out of him faster than he knew he could speak.

A faint smile tugs at the corner of her mouth. “Of course.”

Ashe wracks his brain for what it is she’s up to. It takes a moment, but he looks up from his empty plate, his brow furrowed. “This is about your brother, isn’t it?”

Mercedes’ smile falls from her face with all the grace Annette lacks. She clasps her hands in her lap and looks down at them. “You pay more attention than people give you credit for, don’t you?”

Ashe shrugs, noncommittal. To justify that with a proper response would give away more than he’d like.

She sighs. “Yes, it is. I… wish that he would spend more time with me. He seems dead set on avoiding me at all costs, and it’s… hard. I wasn’t a very good sister to him when we were young, I fear, but I’m trying to make up for it now.”

“Right,” Ashe says. “Your brother. The Death Knight.” 

Mercedes looks up at him, eyes wide. “Yes! Do you have any ideas on what I can do?”

Ashe rubs the back of his neck. They’re in Mercedes’ room having teatime and sweets, and he suddenly finds himself wishing he hadn’t finished his tea already. It’s hard to buy time to answer when there’s nothing he can do but sit there awkwardly and wait for something to come to him. “Well,” he says. “People change. You haven’t seen him in a long time. You could ask him about his hobbies? Aside from, um, killing people, that is.”

Mercedes slumps down in her chair, resting her chin on her elbow. “That’s just the problem! I have! I know his hobbies! He’s still the same little boy he used to be in so many ways. He loves sweets and my ghost stories, and he still feeds stray cats when he thinks no one is watching! I know him. It seems like he just doesn't want to know me.”

Ashe reaches across the table and pats her arm. “I’m sorry.”

She sighs, then sits up after a few moments. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to lose my composure. It simply gets the better of me sometimes, to remember that my own brother doesn’t feel safe around me.”

Ashe smiles tightly at her. “I know this isn’t the same, but I hope you know that I feel safe around you. Most everyone does, I think.”

Mercedes smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Thank you Ashe. That is a comfort, if nothing else.”

-

A few days later, Ashe comes to the realization that he’s going to have to befriend Jeritza. As he’s learned from all of Byleth’s numerous classes and teachings, sometimes a two-pronged attack is the most effective. If he wants to help Jeritza want to spend time with his sister, he’s going to have to get to know the man.

The next time Ashe is in the dining hall, he plops down next to Jeritza, beaming at him before digging into his food. Jeritza eats quickly and then departs without another word, shooting a curious glance at Ashe before he does so. Ashe finishes up his meal, musing to himself that this is going to be a lot like winning the affection of a stray cat.

After that, he makes it his mission to have as many of his meals with Jeritza as possible. The professor seems to have noticed, for she assigns them to stable duty in next week’s rotation of responsibilities.

“If we work hard, we’re sure to persevere!” Ashe says, chipper as ever.

Jeritza runs a hand down the neck of the mare they’re supposed to be doing. “I do not see why there is a need for such chatter while we work.”

Ashe coos at the mare, picking up a curry comb and working on getting some of the dirt crusted on her coat off. “Don’t be ridiculous. Work goes faster if you talk while you’re doing it! Everyone knows that.”

Jeritza grunts. He doesn’t seem convinced. No matter. Ashe happily chatters on while they groom horses, telling Jeritza about his childhood and family, about Lonato’s death and his subsequent investigation of the church that led into him joining the Black Eagles, and everything that he’s done during the war effort so far. It’s a pretty shallow introduction to himself, and the only time Jeritza seems to show any real interest is when Ashe skates over Lonato’s death.

After he’s done, Jeritza sighs. “There is not much of a history to tell you,” he says. “And I do not think such a bloodstained tapestry would interest someone like yourself.”

“We’re at war now,” Ashe answers. “Isn’t everything bloodstained these days?”

For the first time since Ashe has started his endeavor to befriend Jeritza, something like a smile twitches at the corner of the other man’s mouth. “Yes. I suppose so.”

-

After that, it’s - well it’s not easier, it’s Jeritza - but it’s better. Different, at least. Jeritza accepts Ashe’s company at mealtimes with a resigned indifference, and bit by bit Ashe learns what foods they both like and dislike. One day, Jeritza arrives late, and when he sits down to find that Ashe has grabbed him one of the last servings of peach sorbet, he graces Ashe with a rare smile.

It’s funny. Ashe has never realized before, but Jeritza looks an awful lot like Mercedes when he smiles.

“Thank you,” Jeritza says.

“Of course!” Ashe responds. “It’s your favorite, isn’t it?”

Jeritza narrows his eyes. Ashe doesn’t mean to interrogate him, really, but it’s hard to find concrete information out about Jeritza without directly asking him. For Mercedes, who prefers to gently eviscerate people with her observations, he’s sure it must be difficult to determine what exactly she should say for maximum impact.

Both of them are far too clever with their words. It makes Ashe’s head spin, sometimes. He has nimble fingers and the kind of smile that make people always believe him to be an innocent, but he doesn’t have either of their talent with words. Or, well, lack of words in Jeritza’s case. 

“Yes,” Jeritza says at last. “It is.”

Ashe beams. “So, what are you up to for the rest of the day.”

Jeritza digs into his treat, shooting a cold glare at Ashe. His smile doesn’t waver, and after a few more spoonfuls of sorbet, he sighs. “I am going to check on some plants in the greenhouse, and then I plan to go feed a few of the cats.”

“I feed the cats too!” Ashe exclaims. “Do you have a favorite? There’s an orange tabby I adore.”

“No,” Jeritza says. A pause. “There’s a cream-colored cat that has grown attached of me. She’s nice enough.”

“I’d love to meet her,” Ashe says. “Do you think I could come with you?”

Jeritza finishes his ice cream, then stands. “No.” He walks out of the dining hall, leaving Ashe wondering what it is that he’s done wrong, exactly.

-

Jeritza really is like befriending a stray cat. If there was an equivalent to leaving milk out, Ashe would do it. The only things he knows for sure that Jeritza likes are murder, cats, and ice cream, and none of those are particularly good things to leave outside of one’s bedroom. Instead, Ashe settles for the next best thing to do with a wary animal: he stays just out of arm’s reach, near Jeritza but not close to him. He’ll let Jeritza come to him on his own terms, or not at all.

It works, for a few days after Jeritza’s sudden shut-down, he walks up to Ashe while he’s tending some plants in the greenhouse.

“Hello.”

Ashe looks up at him, a surprised smile splitting across his face. “Jeritza! What a nice surprise.”

Jeritza sighs, hollow and empty. “Of course you would say that.” Is it just him, or does Jeritza sound amused?

“I mean it,” Ashe insists. “Do you need anything?”

“You asked to meet my favorite of the cats I feed,” Jeritza says, voice flat as can be. “I’m going to set out some food for her in a just a moment. Would you like to come?”

Ashe isn’t about to question Jeritza’s sudden charity. He scrambles to his feet, brushing dirt off of his pants and following Jeritza out of the greenhouse. They walk past the pond and the docks, up the stairs at the end of the open area and to the small passageway between the market and the pond. Jeritza takes a small parcel of food out of the pocket of his jacket, then stoops down and lays it out on the ground.

Ashe looks on in silence, standing off to the side and waiting. Jeritza moves to stand next to him once he’s done, crossing his arms. “She make take longer,” he warns. “She is shy, and doesn’t know you.”

Jeritza is right. It’s several minutes before the cat in question trots over. She lets out a loud meow at the sight of Jeritza, then shoots Ashe a wary look before bending down and delicately tearing into the fish.

She’s beautiful, a pale cream color with striking green eyes. Ashe watches as she eats, completely ignoring the two of them.

“I’ve fed her too,” he says. It’s a lie, probably. He feeds a lot of cats. As far as he knows, he could have met her before.

Jeritza frowns. “Have you?”

Ashe nods. “She’s really sweet. I’m glad that you’re looking after her too. She always seems a little shy around me.”

“She hasn’t been shy around me in some time,” Jeritza says, a hint of smugness in his voice.

Ashe bites back a smile. “Well, it sounds like she likes me better than me.”

“It does,” Jeritza agrees. He looks pleased, and Ashe is glad to have given him something to feel proud about.

“Have you named her yet?” Ashe asks, watching as she finishes off the scraps of food Jeritza laid out for her.

Jeritza’s severe, impassive face becomes, if possible, even more severe and impassive. “No. Of course not.”

Ashe beams, looking up at him with a wide smile on his face. “Oh good! I was worried you had! I’ve already named her, so it would have been a shame if we both had! Very confusing for her, I’m sure.”

Jeritza’s eye twitches. “You named her?”

Ashe nods. The cat (that he has not, in fact, named, nor met before) meows once she’s done with her food. Ashe walks around to her other side and crouches on the ground, drumming his fingers on the smooth stone. She stalks over, tail held high, then sniffs them. For a moment, he’s convinced she’s going to give his whole gambit away, but then she rubs her face against his hand and starts to purr. He internally lets out a sigh of relief. “Good kitty,” he whispers.

From across the square, Jeritza makes a low, displeased sound, almost akin to a growl. “Whatever you have named her is insufficient, I’m sure. I’ve been calling her Creamsicle for weeks now.”

“Ha!” Ashe exclaims, jumping to his feet. “I knew it! You did name her!”

Creamsicle startles at his outburst, turning and sprinting towards Jeritza. She jumps into his arms without a moment’s pause, and holds her close, directing his scowl at Ashe. “Hush,” he says. “You’re scaring her.”

Indeed, Creamsicle is watching Ashe with wide, frightened eyes. A pang of regret shoots through Ashe - he hadn’t meant to startle her, after all. He had just gotten so caught up in being right about Jeritza!

“Sorry,” he says. “But I was right! Why did you lie about naming her?”

Jeritza cradles Creamsicle to his chest with one hand, rubbing her cheek with his free hand. “It is not becoming of one such as me to treat a creature with such tenderness. It is already enough that you know I fed the cats from time to time. There is no reason for you to have knowledge of my other affairs as well. Now why did you lie about having met her before?”

“It was for the best!” Ashe says. “I needed to figure out a way to make sure that you were as soft as I thought you were. You’re a hard person to read, you know!” Ashe takes a step closer to the two, cautious. They both shoot him a wary glance, and he bites the inside of his cheek to keep from commenting on it. “That doesn’t matter, though. You’ve found me out, and I won’t lie to you about cat-related acquaintances again. Now, is it so bad if people know you have a heart?” 

“Yes,” Jertiza replies. He looks ferocious at the thought of it, but the image is undercut by him holding a cat gently in his arms. Perhaps that’s how they can get everyone else to warm up to Jeritza - they simply have to do all of his introductions while he’s holding a cat! “It is weakness enough that Mercedes is here and knows such things about me.” 

Ashe’s smile flickers. “Is that why you’ve been avoiding her?”

Jeritza doesn’t respond, instead busying himself with petting Creamsicle.

Ashe sighs, then takes another step towards Jeritza. “She’s hurting. Even if you don’t change your behavior, telling her why you’re afraid to speak with her would go a long way. Surely you don’t want her to be so sad about the whole thing.”

“It would be better if she forgot I exist altogether,” Jeritza says. “Any personal feelings are inconsequential. There are no personal feelings on the battlefield.”

“You don’t mean that,” Ashe whispers. He’s not at all far from Jeritza now, but still, he doesn’t reach out. The longer he spends around the man, the more he realizes how akin he is to a frightened animal. One wrong move could send him running off to hide forever, and that would be a sorrowful thing after all the work Ashe has put into getting to know him. After all, Ashe is starting to like him, and he so hates losing friends. “And even if you do, we both know she would never accept that as an option. Mercedes loves you, and she wants you in her life. You should hear the way she talks about you!”

Jeritza sighs and looks down at Creamsicle. The cat yawns, nestling a little further in his hold. A faint, flicker of a smile crosses his face. It’s meant for the cat, not Ashe, but he’ll take it. “I do not know how to be who she wants,” he says, still not looking at him.

“That’s the nice thing about Mercedes,” Ashe replies. “She doesn’t want you to be anyone other than you.” Jeritza lets out a soft, almost hollow laugh. It’s the first time Ashe has ever heard him make such a sound, and he smiles despite himself. “You know,” he says, “when you laugh like that you sound just like her.”

Jeritza looks up. “Is that so?”

Ashe nods. “Yeah.” He reaches out and gently strokes Creamsicle’s cheek. Her eyes shoot open, but after a moment of stillness, she starts to purr, butting her head against his hand.

Jeritza’s face remains just as severe. “She likes you.”

Ashe laughs. “The cat, or Mercedes?”

Jeritza’s expression flickers - a smile, perhaps? Ashe can’t decide. “Both, I think.”

“Mercedes is sweet,” Ashe says. “Like an older sister, almost. She joined the Black Eagles after me, but I felt more secure in my decision once she did. I have siblings, but it’s nice, to have someone like Mercedes around. She makes me feel like my older brother isn’t so far gone as he actually is.”

“It is,” Jeritza agrees, quiet. He sighs. Creamsicle meows. Jeritza shushes her and sets her back down on the ground, before turning to Ashe with a solemn expression. “I will speak with my sister more. Will that be enough for you?”

Ashe shrugs. “Sure.”

Jeritza nods, prim. “Then you will no longer have to belabor yourself with my company. It is not becoming for someone like you to be seen cavorting with someone of my reputation.”

Ashe laughs, so loud that it startles Creamsicle again. She trots off, and Jeritza shoots him a dirty look. He smiles up at Jeritza as sunnily as possible. “Jeritza, if I was only worried about you seeing Mercedes more, I would have said something to you after the first week or two! I like spending time with you. We’re friends, aren’t we?”

“Friends,” Jertiza echoes. He sighs. “I have not had a friend in some time.” 

He stares off into the distance, a faraway look in his eyes. Not for the first time, Ashe wonders what exactly it is that Jeritza has been through. Perhaps someday he’ll be trusted enough to get to know. It’s no matter; Ashe certainly can empathize with having parts of your past that you don’t necessarily want to share.

“Well,” Ashe says softly, “now you do.” He bumps his shoulder against Jeritza’s, his smile growing when Jeritza doesn’t flinch away. “Now then,” Ashe says. “Want to go get something to eat? I think I’ve scared away all of our feline based company, but watching her dig into everything has made me hungry!”

Jeritza sighs. “Yes. I suppose that would be… nice.”

They turn and walk back over to the dining hall, Ashe’s heart feeling lighter with each and every step that he takes.

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on twitter @edelgardlesbian !


End file.
